Oscillatory incubator



July 1l, 1933. B. H cLEM i 1,917,576

OSCILLATORY INCUBATOR (ftorlleg July 11, 1.933. B CLEM 15917576OSCILLATORY INCUBATOH Filed Feb. 25, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 i -3 /w'd X5a .als 3.0 8

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July l1, 1933. B H CLEM 1,917,576

OS C ILLATORY INCUBATOR Filed Feb. 25, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 nventor;BE/vmM//v H, c2 EN;

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latented July 1l, 1933 uurran STATES PATENT g OFFICE BENJAMN CLEM., OF.NEW.JIADISN, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF llQRTY-NINE PIR CENT TO J'. A. FLAG cSON, OF NEW MADISON, OHIO, A

oscILLaronY IliicUnAron` Application filed February 25, 1932. SeralNo.595,043.

yhe object of luy-present invention, broadly speaking, is the provisionof an incubator which is simple in its construction, economical in itsoperation, absolutely `reliable in its results, and which can bemanufactured and soldata comparatively low price.

More specifically4 stated, by obj ect is to provide an incubator whichis adapted yto be turned bated therein, that is turning the entireincubator rather than turning individual parts thereof, or turning t-heeggs individually, or without turning the trays separately, and withoutopening the incubator.

Another object, in combination With an alternating rotary incubator, isthe means for iroperl conditioninof the interior of the in- 2') rubator,fer the purpose of proper incubation, is in providing a relativelystationary unit for automatically maintaining the proper circulation,temperature, and humidity, of the air inside the incubator at all timeswithout the necessity of manual control. Other minor objects andsubsidiary advantages and objects of my invention will suggestthemselves in the course of the following specification.

@ne manner of earryingout the principles of my invention, in apracticaland efficient construction, is shown in the accompanying three-sheets ofdrawings, in which-Figure l is a front elevation of my incubator, as itappears in vertical operative position.` Figure 2 is a cross section ofthe same, as taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. l. Figure 3 is a longitudinalsection, as taken on the line 8-3 of Fig. 2. Figure 4 isa cross section,as taken on the line ll-i of Fig. l. Figure 5 is a detail section, astaken on the line 5 5 of Fig. l. Figure 6 is a detail section, as takenon the line 6 6 of Fig. l. Figure 7 is a front elevation, with the doorsomitted, showing the interior of the incubator. Figure 8 is an endelevation, indieating the three positions in which the incubator may beoperated. Figure 9 is a vdetail view showing the inner face side of thecen# tral door, showing the adjustable ventilator element. Figure 10 isa side elevation of the conditioning unit alone. `Figure ll is an todifferent degrees of inclination, for Y the purpose of turning the eggsbeing incu- ,isometrical view of oneof the egg-traysindicating an eggpositioned therein. `And Figure 12 1s an elevation of the thermostat,and

a plan of the Wiring.

comprising the disc-like end members l and Y 2, which have outwardlyprojecting door jamb `'portions 1 and 2,.respect1vely, each havinga-straight outer forward edge. Said members l and 2 are spaced apart,parallel with each other, and theyjare connected by a plurality ofslats3, or otherwise, which slats are laid adjoining each other, and theupper ends of the-members l and 2 are connectedl by a slatyand likewisethe lower ends of the members arek connected by the slatr 3". Secured onthe top face of the slat 3 is a beveled strip 4, and likewise secured onthe bottom of the slat 3 is the beveled strip 5.

Thermal insulation of the body ofthe incubator i's'provided as follows:The periphery of the body, that is the slats 3is covered Withrsoft fiberboard 6. 'The fiber board 6 projects laterally whereby it extends evenlywith the endsl l and 2, with its other edges.V

contacting withV and being secured under the bevels of the strips l and'5. Completely covering the fiber board@ is a sheet of hardfiber panelboard 7, whose ends yare secured Yunder the beveled portions of thestrips 4 and 5. A'llllflmuler faces of the end membersyl and 2, and theprojections l and 2', are

completely covered, each vby a sheet of hard fiber board 8 and 9,respectively. i

Extending longitudinally and horizontally through the centralv portion"of the* body, and projecting outwardly beyond each end thereof, is theaxle 10, which is located slightly.- below the. center thereof wherebythe body may tip forwardly, shown in Fig. 8, until the strip 5 engagesthe sill 15,011 it may tip rearwardly until the lug 83 engages thestandard 11; or it maybe locked in upright position, as in Figs. 3, 1and 7, by inserting the key through an aperture in the crt-ure in themember 8. The projecting end portions of the axle 10 provide pivots,which are journaled in the upper portions of lthe standards 11 and 12,which extend Vupwardly from the ioor A, where they are supported b y thefootanembers 13 and 14,'ro'spectively, which forni the supporting basefor the incubator. vThe said standards are of such length .as to supportthe body the desired distance above the'floor, whereby the body may berotated. Said standards are connected by the double member sill 15,which usually rests on the Hoor line `A,v however its position, or it-sequivalent, should be suchl that it will be rengaged by the strip 5,when the body 1s turnedto a certain position, as and for the purposehereinafter set forth.

Said axle may be rotatable or stationary,A

with relation to the body, 'as preferred.

The interior of the body is divided into three substantially equalsections, whichl will designate, for convenience of description, as thecentra-l section, the right-hand section, and the left-hand section,that is when viewed from the front, as in Figs. r1 and 7. f e

Said sections are divided, at the front, by the vertical strips 16' and17, which are of the same width as the .slats 3 and 3y between whichthey are secured, and their liront edges are flush with the slats 3 and3 and aie in alignment with the front edges of the )ambs 1 and. 2,thereby providing rthe three door openings', as is shown in'Fig. 7.

Attached vertically, flat against the inner face of the jamb-l, andextending between the members 3 and 3, is the strip 18, and a like strip19 vis attached tov the jamb 2, and it 'also ext-ends between themembers 3 and 3, and said strips 18 and 19 are set inwardly 'formingrabbets for thedoors, hereinafter mentioned. .Attached verticallyagainst the inner tace ofthe strip 16 is a. cleat 20, and a like cleat21 isattached to the strip 17 and said strips are set vinwardly to formrabbets for the door for the central section Located directly rearwardofeachot1 the members 16, 17, 18 and 19, is a vertical post.V

member 22 ;v and midwaybetween each of the members 16, 17, 18 and 19,and its rear post 00 to its respective rear and intermediate post22'and23, is a wire screen section 24, whose doorways. Extendingyhorizontally and constandard 11 and into a corresponding ap-V isanintermediate post 23. Attached toA xach of the members 16, 17, 18 and19, and

necting'the respective members 16, 17, 18 and 19 with their respect-iverear and intermediate posts 22 and 23, are the respective sets et drawerslides 25, 2G, 27 and 28. The drawer slides 25 and 26 are located insidethe right-hand section, and the slides 27 and 28 are located in theleft-hand section. rlhere are no drawer slides located in the centralsection. Secured on and extending across between the uppermost slides 25and 2G is a top plate 29; and likewise secured on and extending acrossbetween the uppermost slides 27 and 28 a top plate 30. The forward endot each ot' the drawer slides 25 ant/i728 terminate a short distanceinwardly from the front edges of the members 18 and 19; andremovablycontacting with each set of members 18 and 19 is a vertical lockingstrip 31 and 32, respectively, and they are easily removable andreplaceable. The upper end ot each ofv said strips 31 and 32 is looselyinserted in a socket 33, as shown in Fig. G, and its lower end portionis pre- Vented Afrom being pushed forwardly by means of a pintle 34. 1

N meral denotes the drawers or trays of which, in this instance thereare sii; on. each side, that is in the Vend sections. Said trays are.adapted to rest slii'lably on their respective slides 25--26 on oneside, and the slides .ter the proper circulation' ot air therethrough,and they also provide hand-holds tor the trays. 1t. will now becompreheiuled reason ot the interim' arrangement of ubator, l providemeans for the tree of air entirely around and tl ough the trays. That tosay, thev air may more npwar lv from the space ot the central section.-to' tne uppermost part of the body, where it will' be detlectecthereb),v to thel right and thelett, over the top plates 29 and A30,thence downwardly through the spaces.betwee the end members 1 and 2 andthe cnil srreens 2i., thence into the bottom space below the tl'ireosections, except that in passiiw f'wnwz.. `ly, as stated, a certain theair will pass inw'ardlr thri'iugh ions and be distributed over and, tthe trays 35, and finally, all ot the air be returned into the centralse".- tion. and then said operation will be repeated t 'ribed.

ine door openings. ot each ot thel three secrns nien Aowed, are eachadapted to be occtive door. as the respective (looms-if, 38 andl Fach ofsaid doors is formed double, with insulation ll0 pacled between thelfront and the back of each door. as indicated in Figs. 5 andv The doors37 and are each provided with a double transparency l1 and respectively,each ol which is comparatively narrow,

L11 Le CTA laterally, but vertically they extend almostthe full lengthof the doors, as shown in Fig. 1, in order that all of the trays may beseen theretlu'ough. c

Formed through the upper' portion of the door 38 an aperture 43, whichis adapted to be opened and closed by the slide or shutter 44, shown inFig. 9, and which is in sliding Contact with 'the back of the door 38,being slidably mounted and guided by the flanged frame 45, and it ismanually operable bymcans of the knob 46, and when in closing positionthe slide 44 cont-acts with the stop 47.

rhe upper forward corner of the'shutter44 carries the indicating pointer48, which acts stop when the shutter is opened, that is it contacts withthe upper end of the frame 45. `Located above-the pointer 48 there is a`graduated s rale 49, for indicating the degree to which the aperture 43is opened or closed.

'l' he door 3i is .mounted to the strip 16 by means of the hinges 74 and75.Y The door 38 is mounted to the strip 16 by means of the hiuges't and77. And the door '39 is mcnnt-L ed to the strip 17 by means of thehinges 78 and 79.

rEhe door 8T is provided with a spring latch 89. Like Yisc the door 38is provided with a pring la tch 81. And the door 39 is provided with aspring latch 82. l x qWhen the body of my incubator is infuprightposition as in Fig. 1, and elsewhere in the drawings, it may be lockedin that position by means of the key 50, which inserted through an4apertur'e therefor through the standard ll and into a correspondingape'rf ture Aharmed through the liber? board V6 and into the member l.placement of the keyY 59 it is secured to the chain 51, which latter isattachedto the eyelet 52 which in turn is secured into t-he member 11,as shown in Fig. 1.

1t is to be observed that when the key 59 is removed, the body of myincubator may be turned forwardly until the strip 5 engages the sill 15;and when the body is turned in the opposite direction the stop lug 83may engage the standard 11. By this arrangement there are threepositions provided for the body of the incubator, all of which areindicated in Fig. '8. i

The'means for conditioning the interior of my incubator as to heat,humidity and the circulation of air, consists of Va. single unitsuspended upon the axle 10 and located inside the central portion .ofthe' incubator, but which is relatively stationary, that is, it does notturn when the main body of theincubator is turned, and it consists, inthis instance, of a double frame whose members 53 and 54' arepermanently fixed at substantially rightangles to each other, beingconnected together at their adjoining edges, forming' a saddle, which isadapted tostride the axle 10.

Permanent-ly `fixed and extending upwardln order to prevent mis-k lyfrom the juncture of said members, 53 and 54, is the comb 55, with apost 56 extending upwardly from the upper edge thercof,whosepurpose'will hereinafterbe made apparent.

Thev frame memberv 54. carries a plate 57' therein, which plate has acomparatively large aperture B formed therethrough, which extendsythroughout the major portion of said plate'57. 1 Located concentricallywith the aperture B, and located inwardly from, that is back of, thesaid aperture B, is an electric motor: 58, which is retained insuspension by a. plurality of arms 59 which extend from the plate 5?.Securely mounted on the outwardly extend ing shaft of said motor is afan 69, which is revolvable in or near said aperture B. y

Removably mounted in the frame 53 is the water pocket 61, which tapersfrom its upper end downwardly toits lower edge, that is it expandsupwardly, whereby it is formed D- shaped in crossisection. Numeral 62denotes a clampv by which the pocket 61 is secured ink the frame 53, butwhereby it Lmay be easily detached therefrom.

Secured across the flat lower' edgeportion `ofthe inner side of thepocket 61, isthe heat` ing element 63, which has the terminal posts 64and 65, to whichare attached the respective wires'66 and 67. Secured tothe comb 55, is thex socket 1ne1nberf68, which carries the terminalposts 68a and 68h, and the said wire 66 is attached vto said post 68.Attached to the postl 681 is the wire 72, the other endl of .which isattached to the distributing post 73.-

VThe wire 67 is attached to the distributing post 69. Numeral 86 denotesthe condenser, which is secured to the comb 55,.and extend.-

. ing from the post 69 into the condenser 86, is

the wire 87. Also a wire 88 extends from the post 73 into the condenser86. The purpose of the condenser 86 is only for preventing sparkingbetween the members v71 and 85, and electric current does not iiow`therethrough. Attached to the post 68@ is the wire 92, which extends toone terminal of the fan motor 58; and attached to the post 68b is thewire 93, which extends to the other terminal of the motor. Thethermostatwhich is mounted on th post 56, comprises a bracket member 94,whichl is adjustably mounted on said post 56. In-

tegral with the member 94 is the horizontal lower arm 89, having anupturned linger 89', at its outer end. Numeral 99 denotes the in-Itermediate arm, whose outer end is pivoted to the linger 89T, and'it hasan outwardly ex-L tending linger 95 which carries the upwardly extendingcontact 85. Said arm 99 extends inwardly tornear the bracket 95, whereit terminates in an upwardly extending finger 99. Pivoted to the upperportion of the bracket 94 is the forwardly extending upper arm 91, whichcarries, at its forward end, the downwardly extending contact point 71,

which is adapted to contact with the point 85. Secured tothe centralportionoit the under edge of the arm 90 are the expansion andcontraction discs C and D. Letter E denotes the adjusting screw E, bythe manipulation of which any desired degree of 'temperature may beattained inside the incubator before the heat will be reduced orincreased, by therelation of the points 7l and 85 to each other.

Returning now to the wiring: Connecting the post 69 and the contact 7lis the wire T0. Connecting the post 73 and the contact 85 is the wireS4. Numeral 9G denotes the connecting plug-head, which is adapted toconnect i' with the plug 68. Numerals'fl? and 9S denote thermain linecircuit wires, through which' electric current is supplied to myinvention.

The operation of my invention is substan-A tially as follows:

First, the doors maybe opened'and the trays lilled with eggs F, restingthe lilled trays on the slides Q5, 26, 27 and 28as they are shown inFig. 7. Atfthis time, or at any other time, the pocket 6L should befilled with water. Next the electric current is to beconnected, byattaching the head 96 to the plug G8', with said plug inserted inthe'socket (i8, at which time the discs C and D will be spaced apart,with the points 7l and 85 in l contact with each other. This lastmovement will hook up the electric circuit whereby-'the fan 60, and theheater G3 will be functioning. The doors should now be closed andsecured, placing the incubator in the position in which l it is shown inFig. l. The fan will cause the dicated by the scale 49, throughout theperiod of incubation.

At certainl periods the eggs should be turned. this is accomplishedwithout opening the doors or discontinuing the operation of the fan orthe heater, and without touching the eggs, but it isto be accomplishedas follows: Assumingrirst. that the incubator is turned d ownwardly toits limit of movement, which will bring the stripl 5 into contact withthe sill l5, which will be the position ot the incubator as indicated bythe dottedline G in Fig. S. Then when it is desired to again turn theeggs one has only toturn theincuhater to its limit upwardly, until thelug 83 f i engages the edge of the standard ll., as indicated by thedotted line H in Fig. 8. Turning the incubator from one to thevother ofsaid downward and upward limits of movement, will afford the properturning of the eggs contained therein.

. llhen it is desired to obtain access to the interior ofthe incubator,one has only t turn it to the .position 'in which it is indicated insolid lines in Fig. 8, that is to say, to the position in which it isshown in Fig. l, at which-position it may be locked by inserting the key50, as above explained.

It is to be observed that the trays are all secured in position, bymeans ot the removable locking strips 3l and 32, which are adapted toprevent the trays from sliding when the incubator is tipped upwardly ordownwardly.

Also it is to be noticed that the conditioning` unit, located in thecentral section, is adapted to adjust itself by gravity, as it is treeto turn on thc axle l0, but when the device is turned downwardly orupwardly it will not change its position, except relatively to the bodyof the incubator. However a slight change'ot the angular inclination ofthe conditioning unit will be caused by and depending upon the amount ofwater in the pocket l, but this is entirely inconsequential.

The paramount point to be regulated is the heat inside the incubator,and this is accomplisl'ied automatically by the thermostat shown, whichacts upon the principle of lthe dilation by heat ot the compoundcontactingr discs C and D, which warp when the heat attains the desireddegree, and the compound dilation thereof is transmitted to the compoundarms 90 and 91, which eventuates in separating the points 71 and 85andthereby breaking the electric circuit and therefore the heat will bereduced until the desired temperature is restored. And conversely,whenthe proper temperature is restored the discs C and D will becomedeflected, thereby permitting thecontact 7l to impinge upon the contact85, thereby restoring the electric circuit and allowing the parts tofunction as before.

It should be understood that the electric circuit which operates the fanG() is. when the circuit is completed by the insertion of the plug-head96, direct. through the wires 92 and 93, and it is always unvarying whenthe circuit is plugged in.

` However the heating element has means for its variation, which i willnow make clear: When the contact points 71 and 85 are connected witheach other, the circuit through the heater 63 is practically direct andon full 'maXimum power, the same being from the post 68", through thewire 84, the contact 85, to the contact 7l, then through the wire 70, tothe post 69. From the latter this circuit will continue through the wireG7 to the heating element 63, then returning through the wire G6, to thepost 68 of the socket 68,'thereby completing the direct full powerAcircuit for the heater 63.

Now should'the contacts 7l and 85 become separated, by reason of excessheat in the in- Cil is i cubator, acting upon the discs C and D, thenthe circuit through thepheating element will be disconnected andv ceaseto function, but the tan 60 will continue to operate, by reason of theunbroken circuit through the wires S32 and 93. The condenser 86 isconnected to the postsGQ and 73, by the respective wires 87 and 8S.

Thermally, humidly, and circulatively speaking, my incubator is entirelyautomatic in its operation, as manually it requires only the supplyingofwater and electricity there to, and turning the eggs, when required, butonly one slight movement of ones hand is required for thelatteroperation.

lt is to be understood that various changes may be made in the severaldetails herein set forth, in the arrangement ont the parts, in thedetails ot operation of the parts, without departing from the spirit otthe invention or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof which are newand useful and involve invention. l

l make no claim per se to the various elements of the conditioning unit,as they are old, and a description thereof would add more to prolixitythan to clear-ness of comprehension.

Having now fully shown and described my invention, what l claim, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent ot the United States, is-w 1. Anincubator having a body substantially round in cross section, means torforming the interior of said body into a plurality ofinterconimunieating sections, a door tor closing the entrance to eachsection, 4means for 'removably supporting egg trays in certain oi' saidsections, means provided tor the cir culation of air through all of saidsections an d trays, a shaft extending centrally througlfi said body andon which the body is adapted to oscillate, an air conditioningunitlocated inside said body and suspended fromrsaid shaft but notoscillatable with said body, and means 'for supplying electric currentto operate said air conditioning unit. Y

2.. fin oscillatory incubator including means t'or insulating` theexterior of the incubator, means Jfor dividing the interior of theincubator into` inter-communicating sections, egg trays slidablysupported in certain of said sections, an outside door tor each section,there being an aperture through the door of the central section for theingress and egress of air into and from the interior ot the incubator,means for controlling the passage of air through said apertures, a fanlocated in the central section for circulating the air throughout all ofthe sections, a water container located in the central section, a heaterlocated in the central section, means for supporting the fan, the watercontainer, and the heater so that they will not oscillate with theoscillation of theincubator, and means for operating the fan and theheater by electricity, all substantially as shown vand described.

3. An incubator comprisinga cylindrical body, a sha-ft extendinghorizontally through the body and on which the bodymay oscillate, saidshaft being slightly out of center with relation to the axial center ofthe body whereby 'said body will normally assume one of twopredetermined positions when it is released, said body being dividedinto compartments comprising a central compartment and an endcompartment on each side oit' the central` compartment, a door leadingJfrom outside into each of said compartments, means for removablysupporting trays in each of the end compartments, means for circulatingair through all of said compartments, an air conditioning unit locatedin` the central compartment, said unit including means whereby said airconditioning unit will remain stationary when the body ot the incubatoris oscillated, and means for retaining the body in a position other thanthe predetermined position.

4. ln combination, a body adapted to have a limited degree otoscillation, a shaft supporting said body, -an air conditioning unitlocated in the body and carried in suspension by said shaft whereby itis not oscillatable with the body and comprising a saddle f looselyengaged on said shaft, an electric motor secured to the saddle, a fanoperative by said motor, a watercontainer carried by thesaddle, anelectric heating element at tached to said water container, means forsupplying electric current for the operation ot' said motor and forheating the water, and a thermostat for the automatic control ot theelectric current.

y5. An incubator comprising Ya body adapted to be oscillated manually,trays for containing eggs located in the body and adapted to beoscillated therewith, there being passageways whereby air may circulatethrough and around all of said trays, an electrically operable airconditioning unit located in the body, said air conditioning unitcomprising an electric motor,'a'` fan operable by said motor, a watercontaining pocket, a heating element associated with said pocket, meansfor conducting electric current to operate the motor and for heating theheating element, a thermostat connected into said electric currentconducting means, and means for suspending the conditioning unit insidethe said body whereby it will not oscillate therewith, all substantiallyas set forth.

BENJAMIN H. CLEM. y

